Isang ngiti ang nasa labi ni Javier nang dumating siya sa opisina kinabukasan. Habang nagkakape at kumakain ng almusal na inihanda ng kasambahay niyang si Leigh, nag-isip siya ng plano kung paano aakitin ang sekretarya niyang si Miss Ella Stanford. A lively sense of anticipation tingled through his body as he swung the door open, fully expecting Ella to be at her table. Pero agad iyong nawala nang makita na wala ito. Wala ang brown coat nito sa hanger at malinis ang desk, parehong-pareho ang itsura nang huli niya itong makita noong Friday.
Nasaan siya? O baka naman dahil sa excitement ay mas maaga siyang dumating.
Tiningnan niya ang relo sa braso. Labing-limang minuto pagkalipas ng alas-nuebe. Hindi siya maaga, si Ella ang late! Ni minsan ay ‘di pa siya nauna rito. Palagi itong on-time. Sobrang nakakainis ngayong araw na hindi ganoon, lalo na’t nag-
Ilang minutong nakatitig si Javier sa pinto pagkatapos itong marinig na magsara. Kung magpapakatotoo siya, ikinagulat niya ang resignation ni Ella. Ni minsan, ‘di niya naisip na aalis ito sa trabaho.“Damn,” he hissed under his breath so that the one person who just had shaken his world on the other side of the room would not hear a thing. Pilit niyang pinanatili na kalmado ang sarili sa pagsagot kanina dahil ang pinakahuling bagay na gusto niyang gawin ay malaman ni Ella kung gaano kahalaga ang ginagampanan nito. Kung alam nito kung gaano siya katakot na wala ito, she would be inclined to overvalue herself.Kumurap siya nang may maisip. Baka gusto mag-quit ni Ell dahil hindi sapat ang sweldo nito. Baka ang rason kaya ito nag-resign ay dahil gusto nito ng promotion. Saglit lang iyon naisip ni Javier bago niya napagtanto na mali iyon. Mataas an
Ella Stanford looked up as Javier left his office, shoving his phone and wallet into his pocket. Without even looking, she knew where he was probably heading. She refrained from sighing. It did not take a genius to know that her boss was on his way to meet his lover, London Star. Every day it was the same. The phone call he had received before lunchtime would determine who he would be spending his lunchtime with. Either his family (either his older brother, Thornton, or his youngest sister, Clara, or on a rather rare occasion, his mother) or his most recent lover. Most of the time, it was the latter. Since evidently, London had called merely fifteen minutes ago, it had been determined that he would be spending his lunchtime with her. And if she was right, they were probably going to go to a restaurant in a five-star hotel around the area and once the lunch was concluded, they would retreat to a suite and ravish each other for desserts. “I'm going for lunch." He looked over the cont
J A V I E R Javier stepped out of his Rolls Royce and into the fresh air and breathed in deeply, appreciating the feel of the sun on his skin. Although he mostly spent his afternoon with either his family or his lover, he couldn’t help but admit that it was quite nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of the office for a little while and simply be in his own company. He walked towards the coffee shop not far from his office building. It was tucked away at the corner of the street. Once upon a time, back when he was fresh from the university and was working a managerial level job, he used to go there often. Nowadays, not so much. “Javier!” Crystal Jones, a stout little woman behind the counter who also happened to be the owner, greeted him. He was surprised that she even recognized him and remembered his name. “Long time no see. How are you?” “I am well, thank you,” he replied to her with a brief smile. “I have been busy. So, what delicious specials do you have today?” “Well, t
"Damon did offer to come with me," started Ella, a little unsure whether she had to tell him the truth. It would be very embarrassing indeed to acknowledge that she had a friend who pretended to be her boyfriend. She was not sure she could bear him knowing. She would die if she saw him giving her a mocking smile or any snide remark. Although she would soon leave his company, she wanted to leave with her dignity remain intact. "But I do not want to trouble him." Javier frowned. A few lines formed on his forehead as his eyebrows joined in the middle. "Why not? He is your boyfriend. If I were him, I would insist on coming." "He-" Ella swallowed convulsively. "Well, Damon is a dear friend and I am sure he is busy with work. It is Monday after all." "Friend?" Her boss's face looked every bit confused. His brows shot up, and his eyes widened. He almost looked lost. "Did you two break up?" Instead of answering his question, she seized the moment to sip her mocha and then busied herself
C H A P T E R 1 6 : H E R D E N I A L Scarlet invaded Ella's face. Her eyes widened, then her lids dropped, hiding her expression. She moved quickly into the kitchen and without thinking picked up ice cream from the fridge. She carried it into the sitting room and placed it on a mat in the center of the table. Damon was finding bowls while Tanner was looking for cutleries. In less than five minutes, the ice cream was served. “No comment, then?" Damon asked at last. "Your imagination runs riot," Ella said without looking at him or Tanner. "Darling, just because you yourself have never noticed your sensitivity to Javier Freaking Summers it does not mean you have learned to hide it from everyone else," Damon told her frankly. "I knew the first time I saw you together. You admitted years ago that he liked you." "I did not say that!' Ella denied. "You said he wanted to date you," Damon said flatly. "He was only asking me to go out with him for a dinner once upon a time. Back wh
"Darling, you simply must show me your dress! I know it is my wedding but I want to see yours anyway," said Damon cheerfully as he clapped his hands, showing how impatient he truly was. Ella took a deep breath then put her hands up. "First of all, please do not be mad.""Oh, I do not like the sound of this," commented Damon under his breath. "Just think of it like this, it is your wedding so you should be the focus. All eyes should be on you. The spotlight is yours so it is only right if I wear whatever dress that fits regardless of how they look. It is not important," dismissed Ella with a shrug. "It is important when Javier Freaking Summers will be there with you!" protested Damon, eyes widened in disbelief. "Could you please stop calling him that?" She lowered her body and sat on the edge of her bed. "He is still my boss." Then she recalled her resignation letter and added, "well, at least for the next two and a half months.""Fine. But show me your dress."Ella stood and walked
With everyone in happy spirits, time went by quickly. The guests were chatting and renewing old acquaintances until it was time for the meal and the speeches. But at no time did it seem the right time for Ella to have a private conversation with the man who was supposedly her boyfriend today. Javier had been placed in between Ella and her mother at the meal table, and Ella had to give him top marks that he saw to it that her mother was not neglected. He was attentive to her too, pleasant and affable. Sometimes it surprised her how her boss, who was cold and distant, could be so caring. "So," said Damon who had pulled her to the side once he managed to escape after being surrounded by families and friends congratulating him for the whole day. "How is it with you and Javier? Are you two getting chummy?" He wiggled his eyebrows teasingly, there was mischief in his dark eyes. "Oh, please. We are getting along fine but there is nothing more to it." Damon lifted one brow and stared at
C H A P T E R 1 9 : H I S F A M I L Y Ella decided that it was quite easy to see where this party was heading. She snatched a glass of champagne off the table as Javier and she walked past it and gave a vapid smile in return for the scowl one of his uncles had given when she was being introduced. Although Javier seemed oblivious, it was easy to recognize the disdainful expression of snooty contempt. She knew full well that she was not the same as the rest of the people here, and they clearly realized it. She did not have money or own a company or even have expensive jewelry other than the ring Javier had given her while the rest of the women were wearing pearls, diamonds, and other precious gems. She was a hard-working woman who had to scrape some months just to pay the exorbitant rent on her apartment. She stood out like a sore thumb. And they knew it just as well as she did. More than once or twice, she could feel their eyes on her, their gazes openly evaluating her before the
C H A P T E R 3 0 : H I S P R I N C I P L E E L L A S T A N F O R D “I want you, Ella. Damn.” She heard the hoarse sound he made. He pulled her head back and lowered his own, their mouths clinging, filled with a driving physical need that beat through her veins like fire, turning her body into helpless fluidity. Javier held her body between his roving hands and she made no effort to stop him, shuddering with pleasure under the kiss which seemed to last endlessly, as though in itself it were an act of possession. And that was when she realized in the distant recess of her mind that she was in love with him. That she had always been. She had always been more aware of his presence in a room than she had dared admit. He had gradually filled every corner of her heart without her either being able to stop it or admit it. Her driving need to give herself to him, to throw away years of firm principle, was the ultimate expression of a love which, like an unwanted weed, had thrived on
“You have no idea how I have been waiting all evening for this.”They kissed desperately, her arms closing around the back of his head to pull him nearer. Her half-naked body was trembling in his arms. It had been so long, the kisses were a hot rush across her flesh, an overload to her senses that woke up all those lonely places inside her that she had ignored for god knows how long. He touched his tongue to the seam of her lips, and her chest got tight and achy and her knees threatened to buckle. She raised her hands to his shoulders to keep from falling and tilted her head to the side. Her lips parted, and the slick touch and warm glide of his tongue was like dropping a lit match on a pool of gasoline and she went up in flames. She wanted to burn and make him burn along with her. He tasted like beer and liquid sex and she wanted to eat him up. A low moan escaped her chest, her breasts grew heavy, and her nipples tightened into hard points of pleasure. All of her defenses had weakened
Giving him a little smile, she discreetly moved his hand back to his lap. “None, unfortunately. I do not have any.”“No way, I do not believe that.” He narrowed his eyes, giving it a thought, and then his lips formed a mischievous smile. “How about modeling? Could you strike a pose?”“Not really though,” Ella giggled as she suddenly remembered what Damon had always made her do whenever they had gone shopping. “My friend, Damon, he always asks me to try out the clothes we bought and pose.”“Then I am sure he sees your talent there.” His green eyes danced. “Are you free tomorrow?”Ella glanced at Javier for one split second before answering, “I am sorry but my schedule depends on my boss.”“Would you come over and pose for me? I will put your beauty into canvas,” promised Roberto with a smile. “What do you say?”“I am afraid I have to say no.”“Oh, come on.” He turned to Javier. “Can I borrow her for a few hours tomorrow?”Javier shrugged and then took a drink of his red wine. “That is r
C H A P T E R 2 7 : B R E A T H L E S S E L L A S T A N F O R D Ella closed her door, searched through her purse to make sure she had her key, trying to stop the aching in the pit of her stomach as Javier took her arm and she felt the power of those strong fingers around her. They were walking in silence and after she could make sure that her heartbeat was steady and she was no longer out of breath, Ella pointed it out again, “You said you brought me to Sicily to help you persuade him to join us.” Close to her ear, Javier said softly, “I want to sign him up, not strangle him, love.” She felt a confused sensation of excitement and alarm, her ears drumming. Somehow she walked along the corridor beside him to the lift, trying to force her breathing to slow. In the lift she stood a foot away from him, her eyes lowered. They walked through the foyer to the car park in silence. Javier opened the door and she quickly slid into the passenger seat before he could touch her to assist her.
Ella felt her body grew tensed the second she had heard his voice and Roberto must have felt it too as he let go of her hair and gave Javier a nod. “I was just chatting with your beautiful secretary,” he said. “How was your flight here?”She turned around and caught the stony look on her boss’s face. His eyes lingered on her for several seconds before they moved to Roberto’s as he replied, “It was fine.”“I am guessing it was or else your brother will probaby hear your complaints as soon as the plane lands or perhaps even before.” Roberto chuckled.Javier gave what might seem as a polite smile but Ella noticed the icy look on his blue eyes. He did not think that joke was funny. “Holden always makes sure the service for all of his customers are great and up to standards.”“Of course,” Roberto nodded. “Maybe one day I will get to buy an airplane from your brother. You will help me get a sizeable discount, right?”“I will see what I can do,” said Javier, not giving any promises yet the ot
Ella was not sure what had possessed her but she responded to every kiss, every touch, and her body burned with hot, tingling desire. A power boat was speeding towards them from the misty reaches of the sea instantly awoke her from the trance in which his lovemaking had held her. Her eyes flew open and she gave a low shivering cry. Javier lifted his head, silently taking in her horrified, shamed expression, then a wry smile flickered over his face.Without a word he flung himself over on to his back, breathing hard, staring up at the halcyon blue of the sky that had almost the same color as his eyes. Sick, humiliated, burning with self-contempt, Ella sat up and dived into the sea. Without thinking she swam back towards the beach. The last few moments had been a revelation to her. She had always been secretly aware that she was attracted to him and now she had to face the fact that he had a power over her senses which made her despise herself.As she walked back towards the changing boo
E L L A S T A N F O R DJavier went to get his swimming trunks, beach towel, and other stuff. Ella was waiting at the hotel’s lobby. While he was away, she was trying to rethink again her decision of spending time with him. It would be ridiculous and quite childish of her to object it on the last minutes. And before she could think of another reason to make her objection valid, he had returned.The hotel had a private section of sand and its own changing cabins. Half an hour later, she emerged from the tiny cabin to find Javier standing at the edge of the water in black trunks, staring out across the blue sea. Unlike herself, he was bronzed by the sun, the hard lean body fit and athletic, his broad shoulders and smooth-skinned back tapering to slim hips and long, muscled, thighs. Reluctantly she walked towards him, conscious of the glances she was getting from some of the young men playing beach-ball over a fixed net a few yards away. One of them gave a low whistle, calling something
C H A P T E R 2 3 : H E R D E S I R E E L L A S T A N F O R D His hands came around her, enclosing her, his palms laid flat against her back, one long thumb beginning to move in sensual massage along the exposed skin above her edge of her blouse. Ella suddenly felt breathless, she was unable to pull herself away. The moment elongated, leaving her curiously weak and intensely conscious of the firm muscles of his thighs against her legs. A sick sensation came up into her throat and she pulled herself together and managed to move away from him, her eyes lowered in self-disgust, shuddering as she realised how she had felt from merely a touch. Previously, Javier had been apt to make one of his barbed comments on such occasions, finding things to mock about her yet he made no remark on what had happened and this left her puzzled and surprised. He then shock her even further by half turning away from her as the lift came to a halt. It caused her to wonder whether he was completely
After Washington D.C. intermittent sunshine and rain, Trapani, Sicily looked so unreal and beautiful — just like a coloured postcard. The streets lined with palm trees whose leaves were green and lustrous, the hotels dazzling white and glinting in the sun, the layered rows of houses softly washed in pastel colours, over all of the town the brilliant azure sky making it look more like a film set than anything Ella could remember.They drove from the airport in a hired car which she had booked from Rome. Javier knew the route well from previous visits, his long hands capable on the wheel, his hard profile abstracted in thought.“Your older brother lives here, doesn’t he?” asked Ella. Oddly enough, she felt slightly irritated by his apparent unawareness of her presence beside him in the car.He turned his head, the dark hair brushing against the collar of the dark brown shirt he wore. “Yes. Piers, my second older brother,” he answered with a slight nod. The piercing blue eyes skimmed over